The Worlds Resurrection, Table of contents
A Table conteyning the number of the Questions, which are, by occasion propounded and resolued.
1. CAn Gods couenant with his Elect bee made frustrate through mans vnbeleife. Neg.
page 2
2 Whether that Gods fore-knowledge doth distinguish the elect from the Reprobate. affir.
pag 3
3 Whether that the idolatrous Iewes in Elias his time sinned in demolishing altars, seeing that they were set vp in places vnlawful. affir.
ibid.
4 Whether that the Church can erre in matter of faith and doctrine. affir.
ibid.
5 Whether that the Church of God doth euer faile vponupon earth? neg.
p. 11
6 Whether that God had any church or people in the darke mist of Popery? affir.
p. 12
7 How our forefathers were then taught and saued?
p. 13
8 Why God doth many times cause his militant church to be inuisible?
p. 14
9 Whether a Protestant may dissemble his religion and so go to idoll seruice? neg.
ibid.
10 May a man seeke for iustification and saluation and not obtaine it?
p, 23
11 Doth God harden the Reprobate? Distinct.
ibid.
12 How doth God harden the wicked?
ibid.
13 How can God be said to blinde the Reprobate, seeing that he offereth the meanes of illumination to many of them?
p. 28
14 Whether that Dauid, Paul, Elias did sinne or not in vsing imprecations against wicked men? neg.
p. 32
15 Whether that wee may lawfully vse imprecations and pray against Gods and our enemies? Affir per distictionem.
p, 33
16 In what respects and with what cautions wee are to pray against our enemies?
ibid.
17 Can the true church of God, and the members of it fall away from the fauour and grace of God? neg.
p. 40
18 Are they excused before God that by their vnbeleife and vnthankefulnesse occasion other mens conuersion? neg.
ibid.
19 Can the fall of the Iewes which is an euill, be an accidental cause or occasion of the conuersion of the Gentiles? affir.
p. 44
20 Whether that a minister can bee properly said to conuert soules? affir. per distinc.
p. 46
21 How can the calling of the Iewes bee the reuiuing of the world seeing that Christ shall hardly finde faith on the earth at his second comming?
p. 50
22 Whether grace and holinesse can come by generation and succession? neg.
p. 51
23 Whether the Iewes be not in many prerogatiues more excelent then vsus Gentiles? affi.
p. 52
24 Can the true members of the Catholike church become infidels? neg.
p. 56
25 Who they be that fall away from the church and the communion of it?
p. 57
26 How are men engraffed into the church?
ibid.
27 Is or ought a man to doubt of Gods fauour and louelove or no? neg.
p. 65
28 Can …eare, and assurance of saluation consist together? aff. per dist.
p. 66
29 Can any man be said to be a naturall branch of the church, seeing that all are sinners and children of wrath by nature. Aff. per distinct.
ibid.
30 What persons fal away from the fellowship of the church?
p. 67
31 In what manner and by what inducements doe men fall away?
ibid.
32 Is not God changeable in his couenant and promises, seeing that he changed his former bountifulnesse towards the Iewes into rigour and seuerity? neg.
p. 77
33 Can the elect wholy loose or bee depriued of faith and grace? neg.
ibid.
34 Is predestination conditionall depending vponupon mans beleife or vnbeleife? neg.
p. 78
35 When is likely to bee the time of the Iewes conuersion?
p. 88
36 Whether they shall euer recouer the holy land? neg.
ibid.
37 What the fulnesse of the Gentles doth signifie?
p. 89
38 Whether this fulnesse be yet come in or not, or any other countries and kingdomes are (in probability) yet to bee called and enlightned?
p. 90
39 What is ment by all Israell, whether the Iewes, Gentiles or both?
ibid.
40 Whether the comming of the Deliuerer vntounto them, must be vnderstood …o…ily or spiritually?
p. 91
41 Can one and the same people be truly said to be beloued of God yet his enemies? aff. in diuers generations.
p. 102
42 Is any man called and conuerted by reason of his parents merites and worthines? neg.
ibid.
43 Can the giftes and graces of Gods spirit in the elect bee taken away? neg.
p. 103
44 Doth God euer repent? dist.
ibid.
45 Is God any cause of vnbeleife in man? dist.
p. 109
46 Are all men by nature equally guiltie and prone vntounto cuill? aff.
ibid.
47 How then commeth it to passe that one naturall man is outwardly better then another?
ibid.
48 whether there be any vniuersall election or grace? neg.
p. 110
49 If Gods waies bee vnsercheable how then are we commanded to serch the scriptures?
p. 116
50 Hath not God, reueiled all his will and counsailes to Prophets and Apostles? neg.
ibid.
51 Why are wee commanded to giuegive glory to God, seeing that we can adde nothing to his perfection?
p. 117
The worlds resurrection.
Romans. Chapt. XI.
I Demaund then, hath God cast away his people? God forbid: for I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Beniamin.
God hath not cast away his people which hee knew before? know yee not what the Scripture saith of Elias, how hee communeth with God against Israell, saying.
Lord they hauehave killed thy Prophets, and digged downe thine Altars: and I am left alone, and they seeke my life &c.
WHat then (may some repining Iewe obiect) hath God, Sense.that is vnchangeable in his decree & couenant, & whose compassions faile not, cast away .i. hath he wholy and vniuersally cast of and excluded from righteousnesse and euerlasting life his people? that is the Israelits or Iewes, for whose faith & preseruation he hath wrought so many miracles, whome hee hath fastned and affianced vntounto him-selfe by so sollemne a couenant and by so many pretious promises, & whom he hath enobled and renowned by so many illustrious Patriarches? God forbid .i. farre bee that from any mans thought and imagination for it cannot be. For I: also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Beniamin .i. I by mine owne example can testifie the contrary, for I (notwithstanding I formerly was a Pharisie,1. Tim. 1.13. a Blasphemer, a Persecutor, and an Oppressor) am not cast of, but I am an Israelite, therefore God hath not cast of all.
God hath not cast of his people whome he knew not before .i. Albeit, God hath generally reiected and cast of the bodie and greatest number of the Iewes that were called, and so deemed in their owne eyes, and in the estimation of the world, by reason of the tenor of Gods couenant and the ceremonies and outward excercises of religion, called (I say) and reputed to bee Gods people; yet those amongst them whom hee knew before .i. whom he predest…nated to saluation, whom hee acknowledged and approued for his owne, and whom he preuented by his speciall fauour, this people he neuer fayled, nor euer will renounce and relinquish.
Know you not what the scripture sayeth of Elias? i. I for resolution of this doubt referre you to the word of God, I hope that you are neither so supine and negligent that you hauehave not read it, nor so grosse of capacitie that you vnderstand it not; how he maketh request, or intercession vntounto God, saying against Israel, i. in how lamentable and zealous maner, he complaineth against them, namely that they were all fallen away from the true seruice of God, vntounto the worship of the Idoll Baal. Lord they hauehave k…lled thy Prophets, & digged downe thine altars, i. they hauehave testified and declared their virulent hatred, rage, and malice, against thee and thy truth, by murthering and massacring all thy holy and sincere Prophets, Priests, Leuites, that by preaching, doctrine, examples and practise, would not assent too and applaude, but condemne and oppose themselues against their idolatry: and as for thine altars erected and builded vp long agoe by these holy Fathers for thine honor, they hauehave defaced and destroyed them. And I am left alone, i. none else constantly and sincerely serueth God in the kingdome, and none doe, or dare publickly defend thy cause but my selfe, and they seeke my life, that is, they thinke it not sufficient to hauehave committed all the former insolencies and villanies, but they also, (to make vp the measure of their iniquitie, and in hope to roote out eueryevery true worshipper;) laye waite for my life.
Quest. Is Gods couenant made with his people, by mens vnfaithfulnesse euer abolished and dissolued?
A. No, for it is grounded onelyonly in GOD who is vnchangeable, and not in man, who is a lyar, lighter then vanitie it selfe and therefore not to be trusted.
Secondly, Gods couenant is an euerlasting couenant, and his mercy extendeth vntounto a thousand generations, therefore wee must not for the vnbeliefe of some, condemne all, but rather hope well of all, 1. Cor. 13.7.
Q. Whether doth Gods fore-knowledge in the Scripture, euer make a difference and distinction betweene the Elect and the Reprobate?
A. Yes many times, as in this and other places of holy Scripture, where Gods knowledge and fore-knowledge is taken for the good pleasure of his will, for election and his speciall louelove and approbation, as in Rom. 8.29. 1. Pet. 1.2. 2. Tim. 2.19. Psal. 1.6.
Q. Was it a sinne in the idolatrous Iewes, to demolish and pull downe altars, seeing that they were set vp and seated in places where they ought not?
A. Yes, for their minde and intention was wicked; for they did not destroy and ouerthrow the Altars, because they were not set vp onelyonly in Ierusalem, where they ought to be by Gods expresse commandement; but because they would not hauehave sacrifice done to God (onelyonly.)
Q. Whether that the true Church of God in the mysteries of predestination and other points of faith, may not erre and be deceiued in iudgment?
A. Yes; for first, if that notable. Prophet of the Lord Elias erred in iudgment of the Church,1. Sam. 16. v. 6. & 7. and Samuell the Prophet was deceiued in the choise of Is…i his sonnes; yea and the Apostles themselues for a time were ignorant of the Article of the resurrection of Christ and of his kingdome, yea and Peter after that the holy Ghost in the day of Penticost had descended vponupon him,Act. 10. v. 13.14.15. knew not that the Iudaicall differences of meates were already abrogated, & thought the Gentiles were not capable of the Gospel, except withall they should admit of and receiue the ceremonies of Moses his law, if these Prophets & Pillars of the church were ignorant and did erre euen in matter of faith, why may not much more other both Pastors and people erre that hauehave not, nor neuer in this world shall hauehave any such extraordinary calling, gifts and illumination?
Secondly the Church and the principall members of it, sinne alwaies and are ignorant, yea, and many times erre in the right interpretation of the Scripture, ergo, they may erre in faith. But herein lyeth the difference, first the true Church buildeth her faith onelyonly vponupon the Canonicall Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles, secondly shee neuer stiffely and obstinately (as heretikes doe) maintaineth any error against the maine principles and foundations of true religion.
Q. Hath God cast away his people?
Doct. Rom. 3. v. ….4.A. Gods couenant and sauing promises are neuer made frustrate and voide by the vnbeliefe of the multitude, nay, if there were but one true beleeuer in the whole world, God would not breake his promise and couenant with him for all the rest.Gen. 6.…. Gen. 19. Thus Noah and his familie were saued, when all the world besides perished. Thus Lot was preserued when the Sodomites were suddenly destroyed with Fire and Brimstone from heauen.Luke. 2. Thus Simeon, Anna, and a few others were saued in a generall corruption of doctrine and manners, and lastly in the mystie fogge and more then Aegyptiacall darkenesse of Poperie,Apoc. 11. v. 3. verse. 12. Christs two faithfull witnesses .i. the small number of his true Ministers and constant champions and confessors (albeit cruelly massacred by the Romish Antichrist) ascended vp to heauen in a clowde, their enemies seeing them. Nay amongst the vnbeleeuers themselues, and Idolaters in the Papacie, God saueth many by reason of the promise of his couenant pawned with them: hence it is that he conuerteth many before the close and end of this life, whom otherwise hee might iustly leaue in their idolatrie and so destroy them.
Reason. The reason hereof is, first, because the truth and performance of Gods promises resteth in him-selfe, and not in any man whatsoeuer.
Secondly all his sauing gifts are without repentance .i. constant and vnchangeable.
1. Vse. Let vsus hang all our saluation on Gods couenant and promises onelyonly, for all other helpes and additaments of men are vaine, false, and will faile and deceaue vsus.
2. Vse. Secondly let vsus lay hold vponupon, and apprehend them all by faith, and so inclose, and impropriate them to our selues: for onelyonly faith doth giuegive vsus right vntounto them, yea and infeoffe vsus in, and giuegive vsus liuery and seison of them.